But Dan also was out of patience with circumstances, and growled out that
"they'd waited quite long enough as it was," for the work of the station
was at a deadlock for want of stores. They had been sadly taxed by the
needs of travellers, and we were down to our last half-bag of flour and
sugar, and a terrifyingly small quantity of tea; soap, jams, fruits,
kerosene, and all such had long been things of the past. The only food
we had in quantities was meat, vegetables, and milk. Where we would have
been without Cheon no one can tell.
To crown all, we had just heard that the Dandy was delayed in a bog with
a broken shaft, but he eventually arrived in time to save the situation,
but not before we were quite out of tea. He had little to complain of in
the way of welcome when his great piled-up waggon lumbered into the
homestead avenue and drew up in front of the store.
The horse teams were close behind, the Dandy said, but Mac was "having a
gay time" in the sandy country, and sent in a message to remind the
missus that she was still in the Land of Wait-awhile.
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